As the impacts of climate change become more evident, water scarcity is becoming a harsh and more frequent reality for much of Europe and the world. In an average year, approximately 20 percent of European land is affected by water scarcity,1 but in July 2022 – the month where parts of Europe reached extreme temperatures of over 40°C for the first time on record – the European Commission reported that almost half of EU/UK territory is at risk of drought.2 It is clear – we are at, or close to, the stage of crisis.
On top of climate change altering heat, rainfall and weather patterns, factors such as overconsumption, water pollution and the growth of resource-intensive industries means the solutions to water scarcity are as complex as the causes. One thing we do know, however, is that the food system has a crucial role to play in creating and scaling these solutions.
